enquire
pronunciation
How to pronounce enquire in British English:
UK [ɪnˈkwaɪə(r)]
How to pronounce enquire in American English:
US [ɪnˈkwaɪər]
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- Verb:
- inquire about
- conduct an inquiry or investigation of
- have a wish or desire to know something
Word Origin
- enquire
- enquire: [13] The -quire element in enquire (or inquire, as it is alternatively spelled) is etymologically related to English query and question. The word comes via Old French enquerre from *inquāerere, the Vulgar Latin descendant of Latin inquīrere. This was a compound verb formed from the intensive prefix in- and quaerere ‘seek, ask’. The modern English spelling with i in the second syllable comes from a 15th-century reintroduction of the vowel of Latin inquīrere. Inquest [13] comes from the Latin verb’s past participle.=> inquest, query, question
- enquire (v.)
- alternative form of inquire, according to OED mainly used in sense of "to ask a question." Related: enquired; enquiring.
Example
- 1. She rang up to enquire when her car would be ready .
- 2. So we must enquire rationally .
- 3. What you write in the card doesn 't matter though make sure you enquire as to their plans and wish them well , as this will be remembered long after the ( unread ) card is lost .
- 4. People called to enquire after the baby .
- 5. Kjv and the king said , enquire thou whose son the stripling is .